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Fire
Home on Harvey lost to fire
KELOWNA - No one was hurt but fire has destroyed a home in the 700 block of Harvey Avenue overnight. Kelowna Fire Department Platoon Capt. Eric Simpson says crews were called out at 2:10 a.m. to find flames shooting out of the two-storey home. "Crews protected the exposures at the same time attacked the fire...
Garbage can fire forces evacuation of Kelowna recreation centre
KELOWNA - A garbage can burning in a washroom led to the evacuation of Parkinson Recreation Centre Monday evening. Platoon Capt. Steve Wallick says Kelowna Fire Department was called around 6:45 p.m., Monday, April 27, to alarm bells ringing and report of a fire, which burned in a garbage can in one of the washrooms...
Fire crews knock down fire in Glenmore
KELOWNA - Firefighters are on the scene of a house fire on Cosens Court in Glenmore this afternoon. It was originally called in as a garage fire at 284 Cosens Court but the home itself was involved by the time fire crews arrived. According to Platoon Captain Steve Wallick, the fire started near the back...
Watch out! Cars back on Knox Mountain road
KELOWNA - Another sign that spring is coming early — the road to the top of Knox Mountain Park has reopened to vehicles, a week ahead of last year. “We’re definitely a bit early this year,” says Blair Stewart, urban forestry supervisor with the City of Kelowna. While the upper portion remains closed to vehicles...
Why this controlled burn was needed in a West Kelowna park
KELOWNA - You might notice smoke coming from West Kelowna’s Kalamoir Regional Park today while crews conduct a controlled burn. Due to vandalism on some of the trees near the King Road entrance to the park, the Central Okanagan Regional District is burning wood debris that could pose a fire hazard. The regional district picked...
Firefighters investigate report of smoke at Executive House apartment complex
KELOWNA - Firefighters weren't taking any chances following a report of smoke coming from a fourth floor unit at the Executive House apartment complex this afternoon. Emergency crews were called out at roughly 3 p.m. Feb. 24. According to Kelowna Fire and Rescue Platoon Capt. Tim Light, the smoke was the result of a cigarette...
Apartment fire puts occupants in the care of Emergency Social Services
KELOWNA - The occupants of an apartment on Glenview Avenue are in the care of Emergency Social Services today after fire early yesterday evening left their unit uninhabitable. Steve Wallick, a platoon captain with the Kelowna Fire Department, said firefighters responded in force to what turned out to be a grease fire in the kitchen...
Why a fire in Rutland could have been a lot worse
KELOWNA — Firefighters put out a structure fire in Rutland last night that could have been a lot worse. Kelowna Fire Department was called to the blaze in the 400 block of Rutland Road North overnight and found smoke and flames coming from a six-plex multi-family home. Platoon Capt. Tim Light says they managed to...
Firefighters douse flames at Kelowna hotel
KELOWNA — Firefighters knocked down a blaze in an out-building of a Kelowna hotel but say they don't know how it started. Around 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, Kelowna Fire Department got numerous calls about a fire at Kelowna Inn and Suites. They found flames coming from the roof of a pool building. It wasn't...
World famous photographer loses Kelowna cabin to fire
KELOWNA – A luxury cabin in Ellison that burned to the ground over the weekend belongs to world-renowned photographer and inventor Gary Fong. Fong, a former musician and wedding photographer, is also the inventor of several popular lighting systems and an instructional website many professionals around the world consider the gold standard. His best known...
Kelowna garage damaged by fire
KELOWNA - Crews arriving at the scene of a residential garage fire were greeted by heavy black smoke early Monday evening. The Kelowna Fire Department was called to Carruthers Street around 6:15 p.m., Jan. 12, and while they were able to quickly extinguish the fire the interior of the garage was already destroyed. In total...
Kelowna family homeless after grease fire
KELOWNA – A family of five find themselves without a place to live after a grease fire in their half of a Kelowna duplex this afternoon, Jan. 10. Kelowna Fire Rescue got the call around 3:30 p.m. about smoke and flames visible at a home at 645 Hollydell Rd. in Rutland. Platoon captain Kelly Stephens...
Three people, two pets homeless after West Kelowna fire
WEST KELOWNA – Three people and two animals are safe despite their home in West Kelowna catching fire late Thursday night. West Kelowna Fire Rescue were called to the 3100 block of Country Pines Way around midnight. Firefighters were able to contain the fire, however the house was severely damaged. The three occupants and their...
Small furnace fire quickly snuffed
KELOWNA — Residents at a home on Cook Road managed to keep a furnace fire at bay with their own fire extinguisher before fire crews arrived to put it out. Platoon Capt. Steve Wallick says they were called to the scene in the 600 block last night, Dec. 29. They extinguished the blaze and ventilated...
WorkSafe BC report shows new dual-investigation tool following mill explosions
VICTORIA – Workplace disasters that kill or injure employees in British Columbia are now more likely to result in criminal charges with the introduction of a new investigation model that improves the chances of prosecutions, says a WorkSafeBC administrator.
Firefighters called to apartment fire on De Montreuil Crt.
KELOWNA - Residents were evacuated when a fire broke out in a second floor apartment at 3175 De Montreuil Crt. in Kelowna Monday afternoon. Shortly after 1 p.m. Dec. 8, 2014 firefighters received a call about the fire at Willowbrook Gardens. When they arrived they found a mattress was in open flame in a bedroom...
Suspicious fire at Kelowna care home
KELOWNA – Staff and residents at a Kelowna care home in the Mission were forced to evacuate Saturday after a small, deliberately set fire. Kelowna Fire Rescue received an alarm from the White Heather Care Home at 3728 Casorso Rd. The small fire in the activity room was put out by the building’s sprinkler system...
Overnight fire contained to vehicle
KELOWNA — Firefighters were able to prevent a car fire from spreading to a home last night. Kelowna Fire Department was called shortly after 11 p.m. Dec. 3 to 1606 Lindsay Drive. Platoon Capt. Kelly Stephens says they found a car with flames coming from the engine compartment. It was in the driveway not far from...
RCMP investigating suspicious Kelowna apartment fire
KELOWNA – A man was taken to hospital and the other residents of Sutherland Manor were evacuated from their homes Tuesday morning when fire broke out. Platoon captain Eric Simpson says the first fire crew to arrive at the apartment building at 560 Sutherland Ave. saw smoke coming from the top of the door at...
Half of all wildfires caused by people this year
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A total of 169, or 49.9 per cent, of all wildfires in the Kamloops Fire Centre have been human-caused this year. Kayla Pepper of B.C. Wildfire says of the 339 fires in the fire centre we are about as close to half as you can get right now, though usually lightning fires outnumber...
UPDATE: Wildfire burning north of Princeton 90 per cent contained
PRINCETON - A wildfire north of Princeton is 90 per cent contained, as of Tuesday morning. The wildfire has grown to 182 hectares from the 110 ha estimated Monday morning. It is believed to be human caused, said Kayla Pepper, fire information officer with B.C. Wildfire. The fire was first reported Sunday at around 5...
Crews work overnight to calm blaze between Oliver and Osoyoos
PENTICTON - A wildfire continues to burn between Osoyoos and Oliver in the Inkaneep and Mica Creek area. The fire is estimated to be 18 hectares in size as of Tuesday morning. It is burning Northeast of Osoyoos and Southeast of Oliver. No structures are threatened. There were 19 personnel on site Monday plus two...
Small fire forces evacuation at Mission Meadows
KELOWNA - A small fire in the kitchen of a first floor condo on Casorso Road forced the evacuation of the Mission Meadows complex Tuesday. The building's fire alarm system notified Kelowna Fire at 11:39 a.m. at the same time a neighbour noticed smoke coming from unit 108 directly opposite the main entrance and lobby. Captain...
Grass fire near Naramata fully contained
PENTICTON - A grass and open timbre fire burning north of Naramata on Naramata Road yesterday is now fully contained. The Naramata Fire Department is on scene and B.C. Wildfire has three personnel on site to help with mop up with another three-person crew to join later. A five-person Wildfire crew plus 10 fire fighters...